Misc. Uptown Projects/News

[KJHburg]

Miscellaneous photos of uptown from yesterday.  As I mentioned this was the busiest I have seen since the fall of 2019!

The Ratcliffe condo building has a great facade save proving saving facades can BE done in Charlotte!

LaBelleHelene expanded their patio space somewhat too.  

[midtownclt]

 

[midtownclt]

The paper boxes uptown look so bad and need to be removed.  Many are mostly empty or vandalized.

And then there are  the retro style bus stop/shelters.  They look like something  from an abandoned amusement park.

Also, Ivey's Hotel management (or perhaps building management) not making a good impression on the 5th Street side of the hotel.

[KJHburg]

all those many bus shelters were for the Tryon St transit mall back in the 1990s or so before the current CTC was built.  They need to remove them and retro fit them around town as the bus shelters outside of uptown are pathetic compared to other cities.  

[j-man]

I will say this. I was just riding around town for a couple of hours Saturday and sadly I felt like Uptown was the last place I wanted to be. I don’t know. I felt like SouthEnd was drawing me the most with its vibrant atmosphere. I feel like they’re getting it right there. Uptown seems to be lifeless most of the day. Even during the week. I’m not sure if the retail is lacking still, or what. I just felt like Uptown from a far seems to be the go to spot but when you’re there it just feels cold and concrete. Maybe it’s the beige and grey all over, the huge ugly parking garages, or all the big lobbies. I think there needs to be more of a push for infill projects because tower after tower and I still feel like Uptown isn’t that walkable, vibrant or welcoming. It’s getting better but still not where it should be with a population this big. And yes I know Covid is out but that doesn’t count for much of my feelings about it. 

[Norm2]

45 minutes ago, j-man said:

I will say this. I was just riding around town for a couple of hours Saturday and sadly I felt like Uptown was the last place I wanted to be. I don’t know. I felt like SouthEnd was drawing me the most with its vibrant atmosphere. I feel like they’re getting it right there. Uptown seems to be lifeless most of the day. Even during the week. I’m not sure if the retail is lacking still, or what. I just felt like Uptown from a far seems to be the go to spot but when you’re there it just feels cold and concrete. Maybe it’s the beige and grey all over, the huge ugly parking garages, or all the big lobbies. I think there needs to be more of a push for infill projects because tower after tower and I still feel like Uptown isn’t that walkable, vibrant or welcoming. It’s getting better but still not where it should be with a population this big. And yes I know Covid is out but that doesn’t count for much of my feelings about it. 

The excitement that used to happen in Uptown has moved to South End. That is perfectly okay. Uptown will be lively again once concerts, shows and games reopen in full force, and office workers return.

[CLT2014]

1 hour ago, norm21499 said:

The excitement that used to happen in Uptown has moved to South End. That is perfectly okay. Uptown will be lively again once concerts, shows and games reopen in full force, and office workers return.

Many office workers are returning just 3 days a week. That could be a big permanent reduction in foot traffic Uptown. What was 100,000 average daily workers in Uptown may end up averaging 60,000 - 70,000 per day when workers at our biggest employers move to their hybrid schedules of some days in the office and others at home. The weakest restaurants, et aren't going to make it long term. Restaurants that relied on "oh the line is too long at Chick Fil A, I guess I'll go to [insert name]" might not survive long term, because going forward the lines won't be as long at restaurants with a 35% reduction in foot traffic. 

Edited June 14, 2021 by CLT2014

[abttown]

We took a drive thru Uptown on Saturday evening (~8pm) and were quite surprised at the number of people we saw out and about.  Romare Bearden was very active.  Folks were lined up onto the sidewalk to get into Merchant and Trade.  Granted this was the south side of Uptown, but I was not expecting that many people and was pleasantly surprised.  I think the desire is still there for the "big city" experience, but I agree with j-man that lots more can be done to make the streetscape more inviting.  I have fairly high hopes that once more of the workers return, things will get better for business.  Oddly, I believe some of the businesses that have survived have changed their hours to actually accommodate the weekend crowds, which is something I know many of us have complained about in the past.  I hope this continues and they don't revert back to the weekday only hours.

After Uptown, we slowly made our way through South End which was crowded of course.  Jeni's ice cream is raking in the dough!

[j-man]

5 hours ago, norm21499 said:

The excitement that used to happen in Uptown has moved to South End. That is perfectly okay. Uptown will be lively again once concerts, shows and games reopen in full force, and office workers return.

Yeah I see your point but SouthEnd doesn’t need events to have energy. It just does. Uptown just feels too corporate America lol even though most downtowns are for that. 

[Norm2]

15 hours ago, j-man said:

Yeah I see your point but SouthEnd doesn’t need events to have energy. It just does. Uptown just feels too corporate America lol even though most downtowns are for that. 

Uptown is our financial district. How many financial districts in the country are lively, happening places after 5pm? 

[RANYC]

27 minutes ago, norm21499 said:

Uptown is our financial district. How many financial districts in the country are lively, happening places after 5pm? 

I agree here.  Years ago in Manhattan, no one wanted to live in the Financial District (or FiDi).  That's all changed now that a number of the buildings have been repurposed into residences, as midtown became more desirable for large office users.

Uptown can be a lively spot after 5pm, however, if there's less focus on how great its buildings look to motorists on nearby freeways, and a much bigger focus on the pedestrian experience on the ground.  I've said it before, that's why I believe 101 Independence can be transformational to Tryon, and frankly, that sort of street-level activation should happen up and down Tryon and then on many other streets in Uptown.  Uptown can truly differentiate itself by becoming a "Pedestrian Priority Zone." 

Excerpt describing goals of the street space reflected in design standards (Rethinking the Street Space: Evolving Life in the Streets - Features | Planetizen):

Good design supports the function of a desired use. For over 150 years, street design standards and funding structures have successfully supported the single use of automobiles in the street space. Major cities across the globe are beginning to rediscover the street space (i.e. streets, sidewalks, alleys, and everything they contain) as an essential component of our neighborhoods and communities. In an effort to improve the quality of urban life, a wave of new street design manuals and toolkits has emerged - redefining the way streets are used. However, as communities rewrite their street design manuals, they face an outdated and well-developed federal transit infrastructure. History shows that street design standards have been limited by the prevailing notion of streets as a place for cars, rather than people.  

 

 

[CharlotteWkndBuzz]

39 minutes ago, RANYC said:

that's why I believe 101 Independence can be transformational to Tryon, and frankly, that sort of street-level activation should happen up and down Tryon and then on many other streets in Uptown.  Uptown can truly differentiate itself by becoming a "Pedestrian Priority Zone." 

Yeah, I'm looking forward to 101 Independence renovation too.  As much as we love BOACC, it does not help with street activation at all, unless you are going to see the illuminati frescoes in the lobby lol.   Founders Hall, at least the bottom where the BOA branch is, needs a renovation.  Scrap the branch.  Turn the existing branch into a nice restaurant (it's an underutilized plaza that should be bustling).   If you can't remove the branch, remove those fountains and place permanent food stalls/trucks or build a standalone structure like Golden Cow at Ally Center.   I know there were talks about renovating Thomas Polk Park as well.  Much needed.  It's nice, but other times it's not lol.  I would love a B Tower type structure there (pipe dream).  400 South Tryon tower has been undergoing retail renovation at the bottom.  Wells Fargo's little museum is leaving opening up some prime space.  We need to turn Tryon into an even more special place....it has the potential for sure!

[RANYC]

33 minutes ago, CharlotteWkndBuzz said:

Yeah, I'm looking forward to 101 Independence renovation too.  As much as we love BOACC, it does not help with street activation at all, unless you are going to see the illuminati frescoes in the lobby lol.   Founders Hall, at least the bottom where the BOA branch is, needs a renovation.  Scrap the branch.  Turn the existing branch into a nice restaurant (it's an underutilized plaza that should be bustling).   If you can't remove the branch, remove those fountains and place permanent food stalls/trucks or build a standalone structure like Golden Cow at Ally Center.   I know there were talks about renovating Thomas Polk Park as well.  Much needed.  It's nice, but other times it's not lol.  I would love a B Tower type structure there (pipe dream).  400 South Tryon tower has been undergoing retail renovation at the bottom.  Wells Fargo's little museum is leaving opening up some prime space.  We need to turn Tryon into an even more special place....it has the potential for sure!

With how lush and verdant it is, Tryon really could be this amazing Pedestrian Mall.  Just needs a strategic focus on that and a massive re-branding.  I know tons of people who'd walk the length of Uptown Tryon's "street gardens" if it were also lined with a street-level Pedestrian Mall experience.  Yes, I know malls around the country are struggling, but there are those that are thriving through reinvention and place-making.  <The Tryon Gardens Pedestrian Mall District>

And you're right, a BOACC street activation plan could actually be huge.  It's a high profile spot - any retail and restaurant uses there would quickly have a massive targeted patronage given the well-paid workers - and with BOACC undertaking this street activation in the heart of uptown, I imagine many other property owners and companies may very well follow suit.

Edited June 15, 2021 by RANYC

[kermit]

The Ledger reports that the Levine Museum site is now on the market (they said they were investigating a sale last year).

[RANYC]

16 minutes ago, kermit said:

The Ledger reports that the Levine Museum site is now on the market (they said they were investigating a sale last year).

article says block includes BofA-owned Seventh Street Station, and an investment group that bought another property in 2019.  real estate transaction might include plans for entire block.

[DMann]

don't think Seventh St Station is going anywhere.

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

1 hour ago, DMann said:

don't think Seventh St Station is going anywhere.

Correct the property also doesn't include the Northside Station.

 

[Urban Cowboy]

Looks like the perfect sized lot for another Cleveland job. 

[KJHburg]

Cltdevelopment just tweeted this and he is right!  (speaking of the Museum of the New South site) 

.7 acres might not sound like much, but for comparison purposes, Ascent Uptown which is 33 floors, 300 units and 425 feet tall sits on only .613 acres.

[Blue_Devil]

1 minute ago, KJHburg said:

Cltdevelopment just tweeted this and he is right!  (speaking of the Museum of the New South site) 

.7 acres might not sound like much, but for comparison purposes, Ascent Uptown which is 33 floors, 300 units and 425 feet tall sits on only .613 acres.

.7 is more than enough to build something tall. More residential please. 

[KJHburg]

Here is the Biz Journal story about the museum site sale,  They are looking for around 20,000 sq ft of space.  (what a great ground floor tenant that would be for some office tower at a reduced  lease rate)

Levine Museum of the New South to sell uptown real estate - Charlotte Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

[Nick2]

3 hours ago, kermit said:

The Ledger reports that the Levine Museum site is now on the market (they said they were investigating a sale last year).

What does that mean for the museum itself? Relocation, closure, a place in whatever replaces it?

[kermit]

9 minutes ago, Nick2 said:

What does that mean for the museum itself? Relocation, closure, a place in whatever replaces it?

From the Ledger:

Quote

The Levine Museum of the New South, a staple of uptown since 1996, says it plans to sell its 0.7-acre site at 7th and College streets to to transition to a more digitally oriented future.

In a letter this morning to members of the museum, CEO Kathryn Hill wrote: “The Museum’s mission has never been more important, and if we are to reach broadly across the community, we must imagine new ways to create and deliver content in the digital age.”

There was also mention of finding a smaller and more flexible space in Uptown that went along with their digital strategy.

[Urban Cowboy]

Not sure I understand the "digital museum experience." I intentionally go to physical museums (bigger the better) to immerse myself. Being present with the collections or subject matter eliminates distractions and IS the experience. I'm all for opening up the block for development as long as they maintain a footprint some where. It would be a shame to lose another brick/mortar museum uptown.  

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

18 minutes ago, Urban Cowboy said:

Not sure I understand the "digital museum experience." I intentionally go to physical museums (bigger the better) to immerse myself. Being present with the collections or subject matter eliminates distractions and IS the experience. I'm all for opening up the block for development as long as they maintain a footprint some where. It would be a shame to lose another brick/mortar museum uptown.  

They would have a large profit from this land sale, I don't think we would lose them as a museum, just a less marquee location probably. First Ward or South End wouldn't be the worst place ever.